Why don't you tell her?
by Ellen Julie
Summary: The sequel to "In a different light". As Garcia and Reid gradually develops a close friendship, something else happens that none of them had bargained for.
1. Realization

_Authors Note: This story is the sequel to "In a different light". It is set somewhere in season 5, and is slightly AU as Garcia and Kevin is broken up in this storyline. This sequel can stand alone but makes more sense when you have read "In a different light"._

**Chapter 1: **

"Baby Doll, I need some intel on a black SUV. I'm going to give you a partial sequence of a license plate. Can you run it for me?" "Yes, I need it in the speed of light. I'm sure that's doable, my tech queen?" "Ouch, you're making me blush. Yeah, it's possible, believe it nor not. Haha….Love you too, Baby Doll!"

Morgan had a wry smile on his face as he hung up on Garcia. It seemed to Reid, that Garcia always had that effect on Morgan. Now he came to think of it, he never knew a time when the two of them hadn't flirted with or teased each other in a friendly matter. From his first day at the BAU he had experienced it, and had gotten used to it. Sometimes Garcia had teased him, and he thought he once and awhile had caught her flirt with him. Just like she did with Morgan, in a friendly matter. She never seemed to do it much with Hotch or Rossi. Probably because she was their subordinate and she felt it would be out of place.

But lately her friendly flirtation with Reid had stopped. At first he hadn't really noticed. And he really didn't care. At first. It really wasn't something he gave much thought. The thought just sometimes popped into his mind, why she had stopped. There had to be some kind of explanation behind it, he had reasoned. It was only every once awhile, he came to think of it. Morgan's last conversation with Garcia made his mind walk that trail of thoughts again.

And there was another odd thing, something totally out of place. Lately Reid felt it was somewhat weird every time Morgan said "I love you" to Garcia. And another feeling he couldn't quite figure out, when Garcia said it to Morgan. That confused him. He'd never given that a second thought before. Basically he just didn't understand why they had to say it to each other all the time.

In the last months Garcia and Reid had become good friends. It was something new to him, having a close friend like that. The whole BAU team was his family, but Garcia was his friend. Maybe that was why he had given it all so much thought lately. Friends are supposed to watch each others backs after all. When a friend changes, you make sure she's alright. That was the somewhat odd thing about it all. Garcia seemed okay, and everything was as it used to be. Except that she no longer flirted with him in that friendly way she used to. She had closed that part of herself off to him. He couldn't explain why, but he felt somewhat left out. That made him sad, because he enjoyed spending time with her. Since that weekend after Kevin and her broke up, they had spent time outside the BAU at least a couple of times every month. It wasn't always easy with their somewhat crazy schedule, but they both made an effort trying to find the time. Gradually he'd begun to feel more comfortable and relaxed around her, as they spend more and more time together. Their mutual affection for coffee often led their walks to a café or a coffee shop after work. The movies were another of their mutual interests, and therefore they somewhat often went there. At the BAU Reid found that he more often than before would step by Garcia's tech cave and talk to her while she typed on at her screens. He'd noticed early that the chain ring with the small teddy bear he'd won her at the Fun Fair had a central place in the midst of her colorful trinkets at her table, like it had a special importance to her. The thought gave him a funny feeling in his abdomen, which he couldn't quite place.

Now he came to think of it, those "funny feelings" as he named them in lack of a more appropriate term, happened more and more often, always when he was around Garcia or thought of her. Mostly he'd just ignored them, and concentrated on the task at hand. There were always one more unsub to catch, and he needed to be one step ahead of the bad guy every time.

He never gave himself time to think it all through. It would come to him in bits and pieces, tugging at the edge of his thoughts. But he couldn't let go of that last phone call Morgan had with Garcia. It was the whole "I love you" – thing that annoyed him again. Since when had it begun to annoy him? He couldn't figure out precisely what he felt about it. There was annoyance, sadness and a bunch of other feelings mixed up inside him.

Basically he' just…he felt…he was…he was _jealous_?

And then all the pieces came together in a perfect fit. The realization shook him like a thunderbolt. It shook him so hard, that he only discovered he had spoken the words out loud after they had left his mouth.

"I'm in love with Garcia?"


	2. On the subject of love

"I'm in love with Garcia?!".

Ried immediately scanned the street around him. Nobody seemed to have noticed his little outburst. Morgan was in deep conversation with Prentiss regarding the new information about their Unsub. It would have been a disaster if he had heard. If he _knew. _No. The right thing now would be to think this through. To make sure he understood all the angles of his…situation.

Ried had never given love any real thought before. He was fascinated by the concept of it, but its principles…its nature. Those he did not understand. Sadly experiencing it first-hand did nothing to further his understanding. It rather had the opposite effect. It was so _distracting_ to think about Penelope, yet so very pleasant. He found his mind was suddenly filled with images of Penelope from their last outing to the movies. _She had been so beautiful that night._ How could he had been so oblivious? Ried snorted at that thought. He was always oblivious to things or situations other people seemed to find perfectly natural.

He desperately needed to do some research. He needed some literature on the subject of love so that he would be able to sort the through the thoughts in his mind – and the book about what happens when you reach puberty that he once got from Morgan as a prank, _did not_ count. If he understood the basic principles behind the concept of love he would have an easier time defining what precisely was going on with him. Hopefully he would also get some answers as to how to deal with him being jealous at Morgan.

With this in mind he joined Morgan and Prentiss in their further discussion about the profile of their Unsub.

It turned out to be a good end to a tragic case. The team managed to rescue the boy before his mom took the life of them both. She had been killing several boys as surrogates for her son until she had gone after the real target of her madness. With the boy safely placed in foster care at his aunt and uncle the team was set to go back to Quantico.

At the plane ride home, Morgan was teasing Prentiss as usual. They were discussing their plans for the weekend. Ried half-listened to their conversation, but his mind was far away from there, circling a certain blond tech specialist. "Well I have BIG plans this weekend," Morgan said louder than he had meant to. "Don't you always?" Emely smirked at him "You know it. I only go big". Morgan teased back at her. "Well my plans are more in the miniature league then" Emily said "Sergio and I are going to watch a movie and hit the sack early". Emely looked satisfied at the thought "And maybe I'll be throwing in a warm bath as well" she said as an afterthought. "What about you, Ried. Any plans"? Morgan asked with a twinkle in his eye. _"He knows" _was all Ried could think at first. Composing himself he joined the conversation "I'll hit a bookstore on the way home and read up on a...special subject that intrigues me at the moment". "Oh, and what would that be? Morgan asked. Was that _surprise_ in this voice? "Erm…it's about several psychological studies that discusses rise and fall in chemical components of the brain. It's rather…" Ried found himself being cut off by Morgan "Okay, okay. Forget I asked". _He still looks surprised though. _Ried mentally shook his head. He was being paranoid.

Back at Quantico, an SMS ticked in on Rieds phone. _"Looking forward to movie night. I'll bring the popcorn. P." _Damn. He'd almost forgot his standing plans with Penelope. But those were made before he'd realized just what kind of trouble he was in. He needed to do his research before he met up with her again. He was _done_ being oblivious. _"Hi. I'm so sorry but I can't make it tonight. Can we take a rain check?"_ He hated to cancel plans like this, but desperate times calls for desperate measures. A few minutes passed before an answer ticked in _"Aww, I've been looking forward to it. But sure Ried, no problem. See you Monday". _Phone back in pocked, Ried set out for his favourite bookstore. He wished he had brought his spare duffle bag to carry books.


End file.
